Tent frame



Dec. 25, 1962 N. c. JOHNSTON 3,070,106

TENT FRAME Filed Sept. l, 1960 u'litri-ted States @arent itiddtiFaten'ted Dec., 25, i962 thee 3,070,l6 TEN? FEM/lli Noah C. Johnston,lion 7S, Quilcene, Wash. Filed Sept. l, 196i), Ser. No.. 53,776 3Claims. (Ci. i3d-Jl) This invention relates to tent frames and moreparticularly to a collapsible and erectable frame structure of joinedmetal tubing or other suitable members that is designed, when erected,for supporting a tent thereover.

More specifically stated, the present invention pertains to improvementsin the manner of constructing tent frames for tents that are designedfor use on a platform or floor such as, for example, a tloor built ormounted on a 'trailer body, or on a car top; it being the primary objectof the present invention to provide a frame structure that willproperly, safely and etiectively support a tent thereover and whichframe structure may be readily collapsed against the door or supportingsurface for travel or storage of the vehicle or at other times, as maybe desired or required.

it is also an obect of the present invention to provide a collapsible,metal frame structure comprising a practical minimum of parts; whichpar-ts are hingedly, pivotally and adjustably joined for their easy andready adjustment between erected and collapsed positions; which framestructure is relatively light in weight; which can be adjusted from oneposition to another by one person and which, in its erected position, isrigid, secure and serviceable for its intended use.

Still further objects of the present invention reside in the details ofconstruction of its various parts; in their combination and relationshipand in the mode of use of the frame structure, as will hereinafter befully described.

In accomplishing the :above mentioned and other objects or" theinvention, i have provided the improved details of construction, thepreferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

HG. 1 is a perspective view of the tent frame structure of the presentinvention as erected on a lloor for support of a tent thereover.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the tent frame structure, showing the pivotallyjoined parts in larger scale and as collapsed against the floor orplatform on which the frame structure is secured.

FlG. 3 is a View, at a reduced scale, indicating, in dash lines, thedisposition of a tent over the erected frame structure, as mounted onthe bed of a trailer type vehicle.

FG. 4 illustrates in perspective, the disposition of a tent, supportedby a invention, on a two-wheeled trailer.

liG. 5 is an enlarged detail of construction of the tent framestructure.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

in PEG. 4, I have shown a tent T of a common type as applied over theerected frame structure which is not therein shown, of the presentinvention, and in FIG. l, the frame structure has been illustrated inits erected position, apart from the tent. FIGS. l and 3 furtherindicate that the tent frame structure is erected on a floor or platform8. Such a door might be built upon the ground, `or upon the bed or 'codytix of a trailer type of vehicle, such as designated by numeral 9 inFiG. 4. lt is to be understood, however, that whether the framestructure be erected on a platform of a trailer bed or other type ofsupporting floor, it would remain substantially the same. Frames of thiskind have been found quite practical for tents of six by eight feet infloor dimensions, but can be made for tents that vary from thesedimensions, in accordance with requirements or desires.

The tent frame structure, in its present preferred form tent tramestructure of the present Y' of construction, as shown best in FIG. l,comprises front and rear end leg forming portions lo and lll located atone side of the structure in paired relationship with legs and lublocated at the other side. The legs lll and iii at the left side of thestructure, as shown in PEG. l, are joined at .their top ends by what isherein designated as a ridge forming frame member which establishes thefront to back length of the tent frame. This frame roember comprises thestraight longitudinal tube l2 which has downwardly and outwardlyinclined legs 12b-l2b of equal length at its opposite ends which aresecured at their lower ends by hinge type joints, as at lil-l', to lneupper ends of the previously mentioned legs lil and lit', respectively;these joints being so formed that the ridge forming frame member can beswung downwardly toward and upwardly from the legs 10 and lib.

The upper ends of the legs lta--iilb, located at the right hand side ofthe frame structure, as shown in FIG. l, are similarly attached by hingetype joints, designated at ll and 1l', to the lower ends of upwardly andinwardly inclined links 13a- 13b which, in turn, are hingedly attachedat their upper ends to clamping collars i*l8 that are applied about theupper end portions of the legs lith-lib, respectively, of thelongitudinal ridge member i2. These hinged connections provide that thelegs lZb-tib and links lita- 13b irnay be swung inwardly and downwardlytoward their supporting legs lt-lti and ida-itil: in the collapsing ofthe tent frame as presently will be explained.

The legs iii-itl and lila-dill), are pivotally ised at their lower endsby rivets, bolts or pins, to individual securing flanges or blocks i9which are furedly secured to the platform or floor iE on which the frameis mounted. All blocks le? are at the same level and, at opposite endsof the frame, are in paired transversely .alignment and may be screwed,nailed or otherwise fixed in place on the floor. Located at the outsideof and in alignment with the flanges or blocks l@ at each end of thetent frame are similar blocks i9 that are likewise lined in place on theiloor. Extended between these blocks i9 and the medial portions ofcorresponding inclined legs, lti-lt and ldahliib, are toggle type linkbraces 17, each comprising a pair of links that are hingedly joined attheir inner ends and with one link pivoted at its upper end, as at lx inFlG. l, to the inclined leg lil yor lh and the companion link beingpivoted at its lower end to the corresponding block w. When straightenedout, these toggle links l coact with other parts to assist in retaining`the frame legs rigidly and properly in the erected postions of FIG. l,and when broken downwardly and inwardly, they permit the outward anddownward swinging of the legs lil-lll and lha and ttl!) and the inwardand downward swingim of the parts ,'lb and lll) and attached thereto aspreviously explained. Also, there are toggle links i6 that are similarto the toggle links 17 and which, in the straightened out position, asshown, hold the hingedly joined parts rigidly in erected positions andwhen folded together, permit the downward collapse of the upper framestructure.

r[he toggle links lo and ft as here employed are equipped with the usualover dead center stops whereby the hingedly joined links will be heldrigid and against collapse when in the positions shown in FiG. l butwhich permits collapse and folding together of the linkage when brokenin the opposite direction.

Near their upper ends, the frame legs lib-i2?) of the ridge member `arejoined to the links i3d-13b, by coil springs Ztl, these springs beingattached at their ends to clamp collars 2do that are adjustably appliedto the joined parts. rhese springs 2li, under tension, operate to aid inthe erection of the frame and to ease its collapse,

with the breaking of the hinged toggle links i6 and i7 for this purpose.

Exten-ding engthwise of, and at each of the opposite sides of the ridgeforming frame member i2 are what has herein been designated to be swingtrames iii and l5; each oi the frames ifi comprising a straight fulllength member having legs idx-idx at opposite ends which are hingedly`attached at their lower or inner ends to clamp col-lars libc adjustablyapplied about the medial portions of the legs libi212 at the left sideof the frame structure, and about the links l3nt-i315 at the right side.The frames ils each comprises a member t5 which extends to the fulllength of the tent frame, and has legs 15xidx at its opposite ends thatare hingedly attached at their ends to clamp collars ida rthat areadjustably applied about the legs i2b-i2b and -links lltt-iI/x rTie legsof these swing frames l5 are each formed in two telescopically assembledtubular sections which may be adjusted in length, as required ordesired. The adjustment is retained by winged bolts or screws that arethreaded into the outer member to clamp at its inner end against theinner tubular member, as at idg in 5. These swing frames lid and i5 havetheir inner endportions hinged to the collars 18a and are equipped withoutwardly extending stops 15s so positioned as to engage the collarsthat they cannot swing outwardly and downwardly beyond the positions ofFG. l, relative to their supporting members.

The frames i4 and 1S may be swung from positions lying against the partsiZb-lb and llia and i312, to positions directed outwardly from theirsupports as shown in FGS. l and 3, to cooperate in support of the tenttop in proper erected postion. However in the process of collapsing theframe these parts will be swung inwardly toward rand laid against theunderlying parts in a compactly collapsed position as in FlG. 2.

Tent frames of this kind may be made in various sizes to meet desires,conditions or requirements and may be made oi various materials -and thehinged or pivoted joints and clamps may be altered or changed asrequired to best suit the materials used.

Assuming that the tent frame structure comprises parts that are formedand joined as has been described and illustrated, and assuming that thetrarne has been erected on a d and has the tent supported thereby as inMGS. 3 and 4, the collapsing sequence of operations is as lfollows:

First, 4the `frames Ed and i5 are reduced in height and are swungupwardly and inwardly against their supports. Then, downward pressure isapplied on the toggle linkage to start them to break downwardly. Then,by grasping the toggle linkage i6 `and leg itl or itis, -[irst at sidethen the other, push and pull as required to break `the linkage leinwardly and permit the inclined legs liti-tm to be pushed away fromeach other. This is repeated at the opposite end of the frame. As theframe is thus somewhat lowered, grasp the cross lmember of traine andcontinue to pull down until member l2 reaches the fully collapsedposition of HG. 2. With this complete `collapsing, the springs 2li-2dare placed under an appreciable tension that aids later in the erectionof the frame but which is ineiective at complete collapse butimmediately becomes active with the upward movement of the ridge memberi2.

To raise or erect the frame, iirst lift longitudinal frame inem er i2toward. erected position and when partly raised, take hold opposite,outwardly dir/erging legs itt-idd er ity-b and pull together untiltrarne reaches its fuit height. Then press toggle linings it-d'7 bothends into fully extended rigid position and the structure t i assume theerected position of PEG. l, the longitudinally extending frames i4 areswung to the desired positions of PEG. 3 to support the tent top. Thenvthe frames 15 at opposite sides are swung outwardly and -downuf'ardlythe telescoping leg sections thereof are .adjusted in length as desiredor required and secured in ,adjustment by the set screws g.

What l claim as new is:

l. A collapsible supporting frame structure for a recangular tent; saidframe structure comprising a pair i corner legs at each of its oppositeends, equipped at their lower ends with means for their hingedsecurement to a frame supporting floor that adapts the legs .at the sameend of the frame to be swung outwardly on their hinge axes, in the samevertical plane in a direction across the end or the frame, betweenupwardly directed, erected positions and frame structure collapsingpositions Alying against the trame supporting floor, a ridge forming:member including supporting legs at its opposite ends vhingedly securedat their lower ends, respectively, to the upper ends of the corner legsat one side of the tent trame and a pair of links hingedly secured attheir lower ends to the upper ends of the corner legs at the other .sideof the tent trarne and at their upper ends to the Yupper end portionsorr the legs of the ridge `forming member, and means for supporting thefour corner legs in predetermined upwardly directed positions to therebyretain the tent frame structure in its erected, tent support- :ingposition and adapted to allow collapsing of the tent Vtraine structureagainst the frame supporting lioor.

2. The tent frame structure recited in claim l including also swingframes extended between the opposite ends of said frame structure at itsopposite sides and hinged to the legs oi the ridge member and pairedlinks attached thereto and adapted to be swingingly adjusted betweenpositions folded against the members to which they are hingedly attachedand positions extending outward therefrom for their support of the tent;said swing frames being hinged to clamp collars and equipped with stops'to engage therewith to deiinitely limit the outward swinging movementof the frames at a fixed position.

3. The tent frame structure of claim 1 wherein springs are attached attheir ends, to the upper end portions of the legs of the ridge memberand the upper end portions of tne corresponding links of said pair oflinks; said springs being placed under increasing tension withcollapsing movement of the trarne structure to retard the action of thedownward movement thereof and becomes under restrained tension incidentto complete collapse and becomes unrestrained with the initial erectingmovement of the ridge structure to aid in erection.

'References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED S'EATES PATENTS

